Chimney or stack propeller and governor



(No Model.) 2 Sheets-Sheefa 1.

J. A. ROBE. CHIMNEY 0B. STACK PROPELLER AND GOVERNOR.

No. 401,516. Patented Apr. 16, 1889.

J 0 If q I; VI

N. PETERS, Phala-Utho n hen wnninmun. D. c.

(No Model.) 2 Sheets-Sheet 2.v

J. A. ROBB.

CHIMNEY 0R STACK PROPELLER AND GOVERNOR. No. 401,516. Patented Apr. 16, 1889..-

UNTTED STATES PATENT EEicE.

JAMES A. ROBB, or SAN JosE, CALIFORNIA.

CHIMNEY OR STACK PROPELLER AND GOVERNOR.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 401,516, dated April 16, 1889.

Application filed April 14:, 1888 Serial No. 270,647. (N0 model.)

To (oZZ whom it may concern.-

Be it known that 1, JAMES A. ROBE, of San Jose, Santa Clara county, State of California, have invented an Improvementin a Chimney or Stack Propeller and Governor; and I hereby declare the following to be a full, clear, and exact description of the same,

My invention relates to awind-wheel driven by the upward current of air within a stack or chimney, and a governor in connection therewith, whereby its speed and power may be controlled, and a means for rarefyin g the air within the stack.

Referring to the accompanying drawings for a more complete explanation of my in vention, Figure 1 is a vertical section taken through the stack, showing the wheel and governing apparatus. Fig. 2 is a top view of the wheel.

. A is the stack or chimney, which is made of any suitable or desirable height or diameter. It may be made of stone, brick, wood, or metal, and may be employed especially for the purpose herein described, or it may unite with such use a further use for carrying away smoke, fumes, and products of combustion from a furnace or other supply.

I11 the present case I have shown the chi1n ney as made of iron formed in cylindrical sections and riveted together, and upon the sides which are exposed. to the sun I have fixed glass disks or lenses B, the object of which is toreceive and concentrate the heat of the suns rays, so as to rarefy the air within the stack and increase the upward draft. Around the lower part'of the stack are made openings 0 of suffieicnt size to admit air freely and supply the vacumm caused by the upward draft. \Vithin the stack is fixed a wheel, I), which in the present case I have shown in the form of a turbine or propeller wheel, through which the upward current of air passes and by its action upon the blades of the wheel. causes it to rot-ate. The vertical shaft of this wheel is properly supported in a step at the bottom. and in journal-boxes at the upper end, and power is transmitted. from it either by pulleys and belts or, as shown in the present case, by means of the bevel-gearing E, which transmits the power to a hori* zontal shaft, F, extending out through. an opening in the sides of the stack, so that Fig. 3 is an edge view of the same.

power may be transmitted upon the outer end of the shaft to any desired point where it is to be employed.

Around the interior of the stack is fitted a vertical loosely-moving cylinder or ring, H, and its object is to open or close the air-passages at the bottom when it is raised or lowered. This ring-damper is supported by arms I and a suspending-link, J, from the lever K, which is fulcrumed to the side of the stack, as shown. This lever extends out through an opening, having a counterbalance-weight, L, upon its outer end, which weight is nearly or quite sufficient to balance the weight of the cylindrical valve or damper and its supporting parts. Upon the vertical wheel-shaft is secured a hub or collar having the branching arms M, to which the supporting arms or rods N of the governor are fulcrumed.

O are the balls on the outer ends of these arms, which are caused to spread out by centrifugal action of the rotating vertical wheelshaft. Thcinner ends of the governor-arms act upon the collar P, which slides loosely upon the vertical shaft, and the lever Q1, fulcruined to a convenient support within the stack, has one end forked so as to engage a channel or groove in the collar, and the other end is connected by the link or rod R with the suspending countcrbalance-lever of the cylindrical valve or damper above described.

It will be manifest that by this construction as the wheel runs more rapidly the governorballs will be thrown outward and, through the levers just described, will act to partially close the air-inlets; and when the wheel runs more slowly the opposite action will take place, and the air-inlets willbe open. A conical or cylindrical wall, T, extends from the ground. or base up to the inner wheel-rim, so as to prevent the air from entering the chimney except through the wheel.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim as new, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is-

1. The combination, with the vertical chim ney, of the lenses fixed in the side thereof and concentrating the rays of the sun on the inner side of the stack away from the sun, whereby the upward draft in the stack. is increased, substantially as herein described.

2. The wheel j ournaled to rotate within the vertical shaft or chimney, which has openings suspending-arms of the damper so as to open 10 v v at the bottom through which air is admitted and close it, substantially as herein described. to drive said Wheel, the interior cone, '1, for In Witness whereof I have hereunto set my directing the current of air through the Wheel, hand.

in combination with a verticallymoving damper for opening and closing the air-sup- JAMES ROBL' ply passages, a governor driven by the Wheel, Witnesses:

and mechanism, substantially as specified, S. H. NOURSE,

whereby the governor is connected with the H. 0. LEE. 

